Nearly two-thirds of foreigners living in Korea say government officials here are corrupt, and only 5 percent say the government's anti-corruption laws are effective, the government's anti-corruption commission said Wednesday.

The Korea Independent Commission Against Corruption polled 150 foreign businessmen and 218 diplomats last December for their opinions on corruption here. When asked what sector of society in Korea is the most corrupt, two-thirds of the respondents said politicians.

Marcos Gomez, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea, said that money is essential for solving problems in Korea. Tami Overby, executive vice president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, pointed out a specific case of corruption by saying that Koreans habitually ask for donations or charity when building hospitals or any government building.

Joe Day, vice president of the European chamber, complained that the Korean law is too strong and complicated. Laws should be amended so that they are practical and easy to abide by, he said. Nobuya Takasugi, president of the Seoul Japan Club, said that if Korean companies form codes of conduct but violate them, stricter regulations to punish them are needed.

Korea could be an example of what happens when you have too many animals packed into an area that really isn't big enough to keep all of them healthy and happy. Darwin's theory of evolution in practice.